Tuesday, September 13, 2011

50 Most Social Media Savvy Professors in America

Every day, a new article or alleged joke about how social media pervades daily life crops up. Don’t argue. It’s science. Anyway, like most people with something to say, professors enjoy blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and other social media sites major and minor. Many throw themselves into the digital milieu, excelling at networking and spreading ideas and insights with fellow academics, professionals, students and interested readers alike. Even though visitors won’t always agree with what they have to say — some may grow downright offended — few can deny their generous grasp of all things social media.

Business and Education

Although a marketing expert (and, of course, professor and author) skilled in social media’s business applications, the delightful Christopher S. Penn shares some other fun bits of nerdery, from cooking to World of Warcraft.

Natalie M. Houston is actually an English professor, but her newsletter, Twitter, blog and writings focus mostly on time management, productivity and work/life balance — essential for any career and any educational path.

When it comes to social media’s massive impact on education, Christine Greenhow stands at the research’s forefront. With plenty of studies, grants and projects to her name, she’s savvy in both the technology’s use and overarching influence.

Along with participating in an accounting-and-technology listserv, David Albrecht loves dishing out relevant advice to students, professionals and fellow professors through his popular blog — though he also uses Twitter and LinkedIn.

Both English instructors, these gentlemen are responsible for the Profhacker blog, offered through The Chronicle of Higher Education. Here, multiple contributors weigh in on a bevy of education and technology topics.

Humanities

Digital humanities expert Dan Cohen works with a wide range of wired media — although blogging, tweeting and podcasting certainly play an integral role in promoting his essential September 11th and Hurricane Katrina archives.

With a blog, Facebook, Skype, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr and plenty of other profiles, this English professor and digital humanities enthusiast is one of the Internet’s best at harnessing social media promoting knowledge and education.

Michael Wesch has earned a plethora of awards and honors, not to mention podcast appearances and interviews, for his inquiries into how new and digital media have permanently shaped anthropology and the humanities.

As a new media specialist with a particular penchant for instructional technology, Andy Rush certainly knows how to effectively use blogging, microblogging, social media sites, YouTube and other digital tools in the classroom.

This SUNY Buffalo professor may not update her blog much, but that’s probably because she’s too busy heading up the Digital Humanities Initiative! She’s also a Facebook and Flickr user, posting spectacular pictures from her global travels on the latter.

Julia Flanders’ name might not ring a bell because of gregarious social media presence, but the Women Writers Project probably will! Both online and off, the Brown University research project wants to connect female authors past, present and future with their history, using the latest technological resources. She also serves as the editor in chief of Digital Humanities Quarterly.

Even beyond social media, the notorious Texas State University at San Marcos journalism professor has made quite a name for herself as a savvy technology, new media and education innovator — and critic.

Columbia’s super popular journalism professor and "tech evangelist" is considered one of Poynter’s 25 most influential social media personalities. And rightfully so! Browse his profiles and writings for tips, tricks, insights and plenty more regarding both the technology and journalism.

Another communications expert who focuses largely on social media’s role in, well, pretty much everything. And considering his academic and professional pedigree, which includes managing Bob Dylan and producing Martin Scorsese’s film, that’s hardly surprising.

Science and Math

He’s only one of the most popular scientific authors, radio hosts and television personalities around. OF COURSE he can be found via his blog, website and a Facebook page with 186,394 followers (as of this article’s penning, obviously).

This proud, avowed evolutionary biologist and "godless liberal" is all over the science and skepticism social media scene and blogosphere, with plenty of insight into how both relate to society at large.

Just about all most people know of Female Science Professor involves how she works at a "large research university" and … ummm … is a female science professor. Seeing as how her two blogs boast well over 450 followers and she sells t-shirts and a well-received book through it, she’s definitely doing well for herself!

UCLA math professor Terence Tao is everywhere. When it comes to social media alone, he keeps one blog, participates on two others, edits at least three wikis, belongs to a mailing list and shares his Google Buzz feed.

Carlos Guestrin and Seth Copen Goldstein at Carnegie Mellon University launched Flashgroup’s beta run in August 2011. It doesn’t get much more social media savvy than starting up a streamlined site targeting individuals fed up with social media.

Physics.org considers this Lewis and Clark College professor — and specialist in theoretical astrophysics — the very best blogger on the subject. Ever. In the world. And his easygoing charm definitely makes this decision palatable, even if his only other major social media presence is a locked Facebook.

Anne Jefferson and her post-doc pal Chris Rowan co-spear Highly Allochthonous, a terrific and highly well-received geology blog. The site itself boasts its own Twitter and Facebook, showcases some of the latest news and tweets from fellow geologists, and Jefferson’s own personal microblog attracts well over a thousand followers.

Technically, he’s an independent consulting neuropsychologist rather than a professor, but Anthony Risser is still very interested in nurturing higher education. And his Twitter, LinkedIn and wildly enjoyed blog with archives dating back to September 2004 no doubt help him accomplish these professional and academic goals.

Anyone interested in child psychology should head towards the Child Psych blog. Along with Anita M. Schimizzi, he enjoys an incredible social media presence promoting their academic and professional expertise.

Social media and sociology collide in Dhiraj Murthy’s impressive academic oeuvre — including the forthcoming book Twitter: Social Communication in the Twitter Age and plentiful articles on internet cultures and subcultures.

This very controversial psychology professor uses his award-winning blog, Facebook network, YouTube, iTunes and numerous media appearances to talk about sexual identity, religion and politics. Obviously, not everything he says will resonate with all audiences. It might make many angry, in fact. But all the same, this list is about social media savvy, not an ethics or morality debate.

One of Duke University’s sociology professors — who specializes in marketing and gift transactions involving both human and technological goods – writes for multiple blogs, operates a popular Twitter and shares his drool-worthy book collection via LibraryThing.

Although a history professor, Juan Cole’s focus on politics and current events relating to all things Middle Eastern renders his content more social science-y. Fans of his blog, Informed Comment, keep up with him via two Facebooks, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Feedburner, although he can be found all over the internet.

Considered one of Wikio’s top 30 business bloggers, this economics and finance professor runs a great Twitter and, of course, CARPE DIEM. His Technorati stats, linked on the front page, prove he’s a professor whose social media skills are worth emulating.